The authors note the likely future importance of a global
information infrastructure and the need for standards in such an
infrastructure, and they ask whether US national standards or
international standards best serve US commerce. The paper provides a
succinct summary of the different types of standards, mentions the
multitude of different standard-making bodies, and outlines the
standard-making process. The authors conclude that one of the chief
problems in the past, that of getting "consensus" standards
into operation with a fast-changing technology, is being overcome by the
international standard-making bodies, and that the US is in a position
to benefit from whatever standards prevail.

The authors write from the perspective of many years of service in
helping to provide standards for the benefit of US industry. The paper
is not at all technical and provides the interested reader with a useful
overview.